TROY, N.Y. – The Yale men’s hockey team had an impressive night, defeating the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 8-3. This victory marked Yale’s improvement to 6-11-0 overall and 5-6-0 in ECAC Hockey, while RPI fell to 5-17-0 overall and 2-9-0 in the conference.
Game Highlights
First Period: Yale 2, RPI 1
- 7:33: Donovan Frias scored first for Yale, netting his own rebound.
- 12:19: Iisai Pesonen extended Yale’s lead with a shot that deflected through traffic.
- 18:21: RPI pulled one back just before the end of the period.
Second Period: Yale 5, RPI 1
- 12:00: James Shannon scored shorthanded, restoring a two-goal cushion for Yale.
- 17:10: Will Richter assisted David Andreychuk for a quick one-timer.
- 17:42: Hudson Miller capped the period with a powerful shot from the face-off dot.
Third Period: Yale 8, RPI 3
- 5:38: Andreychuk scored on a wraparound.
- 10:25: Kalen Szeto added another with a shot from the slot.
- 12:39 & 13:02: RPI scored twice in quick succession, but Yale sealed the game with a goal from Will Richter just before time expired.
Game Insights
This game was significant for Yale, marking their second eight-goal performance of the season. The last time they achieved this was way back in the 2009-10 season. Notably, both of these eight-goal games have occurred in just the last three matches.
Historically, eight-goal games are rare for college hockey teams. In fact, the last time Yale scored this many goals in back-to-back games was in January 1986 against Brown. This trend highlights the team’s offensive capabilities and their potential to build on this momentum.
Player Performance
- Donovan Frias shined with a career-best performance, contributing one goal and four assists, extending his point streak to five games.
- Iisai Pesonen also made his mark, scoring and assisting, pushing his own point streak to four games.
- Kurt Gurkan recorded his first collegiate point with an assist on Richter’s goal, showing promise for future games.
Coach Tim McFarland praised his team’s effort: “We capitalized on our opportunities and showed our potential on offense.”
Looking Ahead
Yale aims to continue its winning momentum in their next match against Union College. Fans are eager to see if the team can keep up this high scoring and improve their standing in the conference.
Understanding the team’s historical performance and current statistics demonstrates a bright future for Yale hockey. As they prepare for upcoming games, there’s a sense of renewed optimism.
